Apricot & Strawberry Galette

• servings: SERVES 8
• active time: ACTIVE TIME: 40 minutes
• total time: TOTAL TIME: 1 hour 50 mi

Ingredients

Seeds scraped from ½ vanilla bean (pod reserved)

4 strips lemon zest, removed with a vegetable peeler

Pinch of kosher salt

½ cup plus 2 tablespoons demerara sugar (4.4 oz / 125g), plus more for sprinkling

2 tablespoons fine dried bread crumbs

2 teaspoons cornstarch

1 rectangular portion All-Purpose

Flaky Pastry Dough (page 331), chilled

All-purpose flour, for rolling

1 pound (454g) small apricots, halved and pitted (about 12)

8 ounces (227g) strawberries, hulled, halved if small, thinly sliced lengthwise if large

1 large egg (1.8 oz / 50g), beaten

Directions

MAKE THE VANILLA SYRUP: In a small saucepan, combine the vanilla seeds

and pod, zest, salt, ½ cup (3.5 oz / 100g) of the demerara sugar, and ¼ cup (2 oz / 57g) water. Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium-low

heat and cook, whisking occasionally to dissolve the sugar, until the syrup is reduced and slightly thickened, about 5 minutes. Set the saucepan aside.

MAKE THE BREAD CRUMB MIXTURE: In a small bowl, toss together the bread crumbs, cornstarch, and remaining 2 tablespoons demerara sugar. Set aside.

PREHEAT THE OVEN AND PREPARE THE SHEET PAN: Arrange an oven rack in the center position and preheat the oven to 425°F. Line a large sheet pan with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper and set aside.

ROLL OUT THE DOUGH: Let the dough sit at room temperature for a minute or two to soften slightly, then unwrap it and place on a lightly floured surface. Use a rolling pin to beat the dough all across the surface to make it more pliable. Dust more flour underneath and on top of the dough, then roll it out, dusting with more flour as needed to prevent sticking, into a rectangle measuring about 13 × 9 inches (a little wider or longer is fine; for step-by-step visuals, see Rolling Out Chilled Pastry Dough, page 332).

ASSEMBLE: Transfer the slab of dough to the prepared sheet pan and prick the surface in several places with the tines of a fork. Sprinkle the bread crumb mixture across the dough and spread it in an even layer, leaving a 1½-inch border all the way around. Arrange the fruit on top of the bread crumb layer, tucking the strawberries in and around the larger pieces of apricot to fill any gaps and leaving the border uncovered. Using the parchment paper to help you, fold the 1½-inch border of dough up and over the filling along all four sides, leaving the center open and pressing on the folds at each of the four corners to help the dough adhere to itself.

BRUSH WITH THE EGG AND VANILLA SYRUP: Brush the border with the beaten egg, then sprinkle it generously with more demerara sugar. Clean the pastry brush well and use it to dab about half of the vanilla syrup over. the fruit (leave the vanilla pod and zest in the saucepan). Reserve the remaining syrup for brushing over the baked galette. Transfer the sheet pan to the refrigerator and chill until the dough is firm, 15 to 20 minutes.

BAKE: Bake the galette for 15 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 350°F and continue to bake until the pastry is puffed and deep golden brown and the apricots are browned along the edges, another 30 to 35 minutes. Remove the galette from the oven and let it cool slightly, then brush the remaining vanilla syrup over the fruit (discard the vanilla pod and zest). Let the galette cool to room temperature before slicing and serving.

Notes

Whenever I ask myself what I should bake with the fruit I pick up at my local farmers' market, a galette is usually the answer. It's a kind of free-form, open-faced tart, and a great vehicle for peak-season produce. For especially juicy fruit, I place a layer of bread crumbs mixed with cornstarch between the pastry and the fruit to soak up and thicken any juices, ensuring that the bottom of the galette bakes up crispy and golden. Fresh apricots are one of my favorite fruits to bake with because, interestingly, they intensify in tartness in the oven, and here I pair them with sweet strawberries. A dousing of

vanilla syrup over the filling before and after baking enhances its floral fruitiness.

"Can I...

Make it ahead? Yes. The baked galette, covered loosely and stored at room temperature, will keep for up to 3 days but is best served on the first or second day while the pastry is still crisp.

Use different fruit? Yes. Substitute an equal weight of any stone fruit such as plums or peaches for the apricots (slice them into ½-inch wedges if large), and an equal weight of any berry, such as blackberries or raspberries, for the strawberries.

Can I...

Use store-bought puff pastry? Yes. Two common brands of frozen store-bought puff pastry are Dufour, which comes in a 14-ounce (397g) box and contains one large sheet, and Pepperidge Farm, which comes in a 17.3-ounce (493g) box and contains two

smaller sheets (I recommend Dufour or any brand labeled "all butter"). For either brand, thaw one box overnight in the refrigerator, then unfold the sheets) and roll out on a lightly floured surface (if using Pepperidge Farm, stack the two sheets one on top of the other and

roll out as a single piece) to the given dimensions. Proceed with the recipe as written, thoroughly pricking the surface with the tines of a fork. Keep in mind that the pastry will puff dramatically as it bakes, causing the border to unfold a bit.